The Haryana government sought appointment of a local magistrate or some other senior judicial officer to oversee the sanitisation process 'to ensure greater transparency'

Over 30 people died in the violence that broke out after Ram Rahim's conviction (File)

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court today appointed a retired sessions judge as the court commissioner to oversee the "sanitisation" process of Dera Sacha Sauda sect's headquarters at Sira. The order came after the Haryana government filed a plea on Friday last seeking "permission to hold sanitisation process of the Dera headquarter at Sirsa under judicial supervision", following the incarceration of the sect chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, for raping two women.

"The high court bench appointed retired sessions judge AKS Pawar as court commissioner for the sanitisation of the Dera headquarters at Sirsa," Haryana's Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan said after the hearing in the matter today. He said the process will be taken up immediately and will be filmed.

The state had sought to clean up the Dera headquarters under judicial supervision, Mr Mahajan said. On how soon the process would start, Mr Mahajan said, "The state will request the court commissioner to take it up immediately."

He said the government will provide adequate security to ensure that the sanitisation process is carried out smoothly. Mr Mahajan said a report of the whole process will be submitted to the high court by the commissioner, with a copy to be given to the state government.

The order was passed by a full bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, AG Mashih and Aneesh Jhingan.

In its plea, the Haryana government sought appointment of the local magistrate or some other senior judicial officer to oversee the sanitisation process "to ensure greater transparency".

The Dera headquarters at Sirsa is spread over 800 acres with many residential, institutional and commercial buildings.

"In the sanitisation process, officials of revenue and taxation department would participate, besides police and other security forces," Mr Mahajan said, adding the operation will be filmed.

Violence broke out in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi after Ram Rahim's conviction in the rape cases, who was sentenced to 20 years. The violence left 35 people dead.